Blurred Lines
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Gray: Fairy Tail's new biggest player? (Ch1-Gray's Harem) Juvia: doomed to be friendless forever? (Ch2-Friends, Better Friends, Best Friends) Lyon: cursed to be neglected by his one love? (Ch3-Maybe I Like the Rain) Three one-shots about what happens when the lines between love and friendship blur. [Mazeverse] Implied Nalu, one-sided Grayza, Graylu, Gruvia, Lyvia.
1. Gray's Harem

_**Erza**'s taking a mission at Crime Sorciere, going after the man she thought she always wanted. Is she leaving behind the man she thought she'd always have?  
**Natsu** has friend-zoned himself, leaving **Lucy** and **Lisanna** in the lurch. He'd rather avoid them both than risk being a two-timer like **Gray**.  
**Gray** (not actually a two-timer) just can't seem to catch a break. Maybe he just wasn't meant for romantic happiness. Or maybe it's time for a new direction.  
**Mira**'s stuck in the past, unable to accept that **Laxus** has his sights set elsewhere. __**Freed**'s never, never giving up on her, even if that means a broken heart.  
**Juvia**'s having second thoughts about **Gray**, but **Lyon**'s ready to call it quits. Can she get her feelings sorted out in time, or will she be left with nothing?  
And **Toby**'s dating **Jenny Realight**. The Jenny Realight. Wait, what?!  
_

_Something's gotta give._

__This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU _____where we put your ships in a blender and beat 'til smooth_. __Lyvia, __Gruvia, Jerza, ______Grayza, __Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)__

* * *

**Happy Friday! So excited to get to post a new story - now back in the present day of Mazeverse.  
**

**Let's catch-up with our mages in the unsettling aftermath of the _Victory Gala_. This takes place few days after the events of that other story. Reading that story's not required to enjoy this one. If you've read the blurb up top, and you can suspend disbelief for an AU, then you should be good to go.**

**This story is actually three stories, all revolving around the McGuffin of a teen talent show that Wendy is competing in. (It was a cheap way to tie all three of these things together. XD)**

**This week, Gray, judged through Natsu's eyes.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Wendy rocked back and forth in her chair, and for a moment, Natsu saw her as the little girl they'd first met on that Allied Mission.

"You'll be fine, kiddo," said Gray. "Quit worrying. You got this, yeah?"

"Easy for you to say…" Wendy sighed.

Wendy would be competing in the Junior Miss Fiore teen talent pageant being held Onibus that afternoon. Female mages, aged twelve to sixteen, would be traveling from all over Magnolia to show their skills and compete for the crown and the chance for an interview with Sorcerer Weekly. It wasn't a huge deal, but for many of the younger girls, who hadn't joined a guild yet, this was the opportunity they need to get noticed.

"You should listen to them, child," lectured Charle, one paw in the air. "Despite their lack of decorum, these boys do know a few things about confidence. And that's something you could definitely stand to have a little more of."

"You tell 'em, Charle!" mumbled Happy, sounding more than a little starstruck.

Even though this was only Wendy's first year, Natsu couldn't understand what she had to be nervous about. He and Gray had been working on her routine with her for weeks.

"You just gotta keep your head in the game," Natsu reminded Wendy. "You're a Dragon-Slayer. You're capable of things that normal people only dream of. That's better than weird Maker Magic any day," he added, grinning.

Gray snorted, but he let the dig slide.

"I know, but I'm not used to doing them in front of so many people," protested Wendy. "It makes me a little nervous."

"Don't be nervous," said Gray. "You remember what I told you. It's not about you when you're on stage. It's about giving the audience what they want. They want a good show. And you're going to give it to them. You're gonna _blow them away_ with your magic, yeah?" He grinned.

Wendy nodded, still hesitant.

As much as Natsu hated to admit it, the Ice Block did know a thing or two about showmanship. Gray also knew _exactly_ how to work a crowd. Probably one of the reasons he was disgustingly popular with the ladies.

Like he had been at the Victory Gala.

The memory filled Natsu's mouth with a sour taste. He washed it away with a gulp from his mug, slamming it down with an audible thunk.

"Besides, me and the Flame Brain will be in the crowd rooting for you, kiddo. Right, Natsu?" said Gray.

"Yep." Natsu clenched his jaw. The last thing he wanted to do was agree with the Stripper Freak.

"But you're just two people, and the audience is supposed to be huge," protested Wendy, wringing her hands.

"You know what they say about stage fright. If you get nervous, imagine the audience in their underwear!" chirped Happy.

"Except in this loser's case, you won't even have to imagine," muttered Natsu.

"Will ya knock it off?" growled Gray. "What's your problem?"

"_I'm _trying to make Wendy feel better," insisted Natsu. That much should have been obvious.

"_Sure_…" purred Happy.

"By making fun of me?" snapped Gray, scowling. "Real mature, Pyro."

It wasn't like Natsu was _trying_ to take a below-the-belt shot at the Ice Pervert. Nope.

"Honestly…" sighed Charle. "I'd like to retract what I just told Wendy about following your example."

"You got a better idea?" snorted Natsu.

Gray's scowl shifted into a thoughtful frown, brows drawing together. "Actually, do you care if I bring some other people to come watch?" he asked Wendy. "We can start your own personal cheer squad."

"That's a marvelous idea!" said Charle. "You've redeemed yourself, Gray."

"Well, I try," he said, grinning at her lopsidedly.

Natsu's eyes widened. Was Gray flirting with Charle? There was something very wrong with him if he was hitting on the Exceed. Was that even legal?

"I mean, I guess that's fine," said Wendy quietly. She pulled out two purple slips with the title of the event printed on them. "I've got more tickets. I would have invited other people, but I didn't think anyone would want to come to something like this."

"I'm sure plenty of people would love to see one of our own win first place, kiddo," said Gray. "Right, Erza?"

Natsu's lips pressed into a thin line. Predictably, Gray had started with Erza. He _always_ started with Erza.

"Wanna come cheer for Wendy?" Gray called over his shoulder. He leaned back in his chair and nudged Erza with his elbow.

Erza had been sitting at the table behind them, turning around when Gray prodded her in the back. Erza shook her head, her eyes apologetic. "Sorry, Wendy," said Erza. "I have to get ready for my trip."

"Don't worry about it," said Wendy. "A teen talent show isn't the most exciting thing."

"Good luck, though! I'm sure you'll do fine," said Erza warmly.

"I thought your trip wasn't until later," said Gray, frowning.

"It isn't. I'm not leaving until the day after tomorrow," said Erza. "But since I'll be away so long, I'll need to take care of some things first. There's so much to do before I leave!" she said with a soft smile.

"Gotcha," said Gray evenly, his frown disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

"Are you still good to take me to the station?" asked Erza.

"Sure," said Gray. "I can help you haul your million and one bags to the station."

"Thanks," said Erza. "I appreciate you doing that."

"No problem," said Gray, turning away quickly. Natsu couldn't see his expression, but he could have sworn the Ice Block seemed a little upset.

But if he was, it didn't last long. Gray had already moved on to his next target.

Gray sauntered across the guild to where Lucy was picking over job requests.

Natsu snapped his head back in a double-take. Lucy? What did he want with _Lucy_? Natsu hissed in displeasure, a protective feeling flaring in his chest.

"Yo, Lucy," said Gray. "Looking for another job?"

"Rent's due at the end of the week," said Lucy, shrugging.

"So, does that means you're free this afternoon? Wendy's got this talent pageant thing going on. I think the rest of us should support her as a team," Gray explained. "Wanna come? Me and the Flame Brain are going."

There he went, making it sound like a perfectly normal team activity.

"Sounds like fun!" said Lucy, pocketing the ticket that Gray offered. "I'm in."

"Good," said Gray. "Don't get comfortable. The thing starts at one, so we'll probably leave in a little bit."

"Whatd'ya do that for?" snarled Natsu as soon as Gray had made it back to their table.

"What?" asked Gray, giving Natsu a blank stare.

"Why'd you invite Luce?" Natsu hissed.

"Um, 'cause she's part of our team?" said Gray, eying him up. "And she's friends with Wendy too."

"I can't believe this," muttered Natsu.

"Chill out, man," said Gray. "There's one other ticket. You can ask Lisanna to come too if you want," shrugged Gray, passing Natsu the other ticket.

"No way!" yelped Natsu.

It was bad enough that _Lucy_ was coming, but to have _Lisanna_ in the same place? Unlike Gray, he was trying to _avoid_ the girls, not surround himself with them!

"Suit yourself," said Gray, shoulders lifting in a shrug. "I guess we could ask Mira or Cana. I'm pretty sure I saw Cana around earlier."

"Levy might be free, if you're looking for another person," suggested Lucy, joining them. She folded the job flyer she had selected from the board and tucked it away.

"What do you think?" Gray asked Wendy.

"You can pick," said Wendy. "Like I said, I'm grateful that any of you are coming at all," she said.

"_I_ think you should ask Juvia," said Happy.

"Knock it off, Happy," hissed Natsu.

Gray surveyed the Exceed thoughtfully. "That's actually a really good idea," he said finally, face pulling into a grin.

"_What_?" hissed Natsu. First Erza and Lucy? Then Cana, Mira, Levy, and now _Juvia_?

What was Gray trying to do? Bring along his own personal harem?

"Really?" asked Lucy. "I didn't realize you two had gotten to be friends."

"I've actually been meaning to invite her to hang out with us for some time," said Gray, shrugging. "Hey, Juvia!" he shouted.

Juvia shot to her feet, her eyes shimmering hopefully. "Yes, Gray?" she blurted, her cheeks dusted pink. Then she shut her eyes, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "I mean, do you need something?"

"I've got one more ticket to Wendy's event this afternoon. You wanna come with?" Gray asked.

"You mean like… _with you_?" asked Juvia slowly. She was tracing shapes on the table with her finger. Natsu hoped, for her sake, that they weren't hearts.

Who was he kidding? They were definitely hearts.

Natsu gritted his teeth.

"And Lucy and Natsu. Like a group of _friends_. Supporting a teammate," said Gray. "You've never gone out with us just as friends, have you?"

"Well, no, I… I haven't," said Juvia.

"Well, you totally should. It'll be fun. You in?" asked Gray.

Juvia paused, as if weighting her options. Then she smiled. "Yeah! Okay!"

"Cool," said Gray, passing her the last ticket.

Unbelievable. Natsu shook his head. It was like that self-absorbed jerk didn't have a care in the world!

Juvia clutched the ticket with a reverence that made Natsu's stomach turn. Worst of all, Gray wasn't looking at _her_. Instead his had turned his attention back to _Wendy_.

Was she part of Gray's harem too?

"How's that for a cheering squad?" asked Gray grinning at Wendy. "We're all rooting for ya, kiddo. So, there's nothin' to worry about, okay?"

"Thanks, Gray," said Wendy.

"No prob," he said, ruffling her hair. "Do you want to go out back and run through your routines one more time before we leave?"

Natsu snarled under his breath. Wendy was _twelve_, for crying out loud!

"Natsu…" said Happy. "What are you all mad for? Is it 'cause Gray's showin' off?"

"What?" Natsu coughed before laughing awkwardly. "It's nothing to worry about, little buddy!" he said cheerfully. But Natsu's narrowed eyes locked on Gray as he chatted with the girls.

The Ice Block needed to watch himself. Otherwise, he'd wind up with a trail of broken hearts in his wake.

And if one of those hearts ended up being Lucy's, Natsu was going to kill him.

* * *

**Somebody's confused. And that somebody is Natsu. People see what they want to see. XD**

**Juvia just got the friend-card point-blank. What's her take?  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Blurred Lines,_**** Natsu continues to pester Gray while Juvia takes a turn at self-reflection: **_There was always Gray. He was her friend. Wasn't he?_

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Friends, Better Friends, Best Friends

**Happy Friday! **

**Guess what? Just started my countdown on my phone: only 77 more days! XD. No, it's nothing to do with stories or this account or anything like that. It's something purely personal. I****f anyone is curious, I'm happy to talk about it... if you can guess what it is. XD ****Not that it's a big secret or anything. I just don't want to talk _too_ much about it, since I'm not sure how many people are going to care.  
**

**This week, Juvia on Team Natsu and her own social life. I forgot to mention last chapter: for those new to Mazeverse, this universe's Juvia flips between first and third person. Third's her normal, and she ends up using it when gets flustered or upset. Lately, she's been talking more in the first person, since she's been actively trying to break the other habit.  
**

**Raven claw: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) Don't worry! Natsu will figure things out with Lucy eventually. He's got some growing up to do first, and things will get a little bit messy (as in they'll go the wrong way for a while) in the mean time. Nalu readers will have to be very, very, _very_ patient with me, since I'm a slow burn junkie who likes to keep people guessing. :)  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Juvia had been to Onibus before, but this was her first time at the amphitheater. Juvia had never heard of a pageant being held outdoors before and an open-air stadium seemed like it was overkill. Why couldn't they have had the competition in a high school auditorium or something? Then again, given the destructiveness of her own guild, a display of magic talent was probably best held outdoors.

Plus, all of these people probably wouldn't have fit in a high school auditorium. Despite Wendy's insistence that this wasn't a big deal, the turnout was no trivial matter. From their box seats, Juvia had a good view of the entire amphitheater, and she could see just how packed it really was.

"Look at all those people. You'd think this was a major sporting event or something," said Juvia, breaking off as Wendy squeaked in distress. "Sorry, sorry!"

Wendy's Exceed companion was far less sympathetic. "You need to pull yourself together, child!" lectured Charle.

"But look at all the people, Charle!" moaned Wendy, cradling her face in her hands.

"That just means more people knowing how awesome Fairy Tail really is when we kick their butts!" hooted Natsu, punching his fist in the air.

"Yeah!" chirped Happy, getting in on the excitement.

"When _Wendy_ kicks their butts," corrected Gray coolly. "_You're_ not doing anything."

Natsu's expression drew together. "Whaddya mean I—" Natsu started, until Lucy cut him off.

"Would you two give it a rest already?" complained Lucy, apparently used to her teammates' antics. "How is any of this supposed to be helping Wendy? We're here to support _her_, aren't we?"

"Is this how things normally are?" Juvia asked Lucy quietly. This was her first time out with Gray's team and she was having a hard time keeping up with the conversation.

"You mean: are these two always idiots?" asked Lucy. "Pretty much," she sighed. "But don't worry, you'll get used to it pretty quick."

Juvia wanted to blame her inability on the fact that Team Natsu was together all the time and that she was new to this scene. But part of her had to admit that outside of Gajee and what little time she had spent with Gray, Juvia didn't really spend much time with the others in the guild. Everyone in the guild was friendly and welcoming, but despite how long she had been part of Fairy Tail, Juvia didn't have too many people she could call close friends.

Lucy, on the other hand, had plenty of friends. Though she seemed to spend most of her time with her team, she was pretty social with just about everyone. Juvia couldn't help but feel a little jealous of that.

She wondered what advice Lyon would give in this situation. Her fingers itched to pull out her lacrima and give him a call, but she didn't. This wasn't the place for that sort of conversation, and besides, it seemed silly to bother him with something like this. So instead, Juvia's imagination conjured up the Lamia Scale wizard's image. She channeled her inner Lyon, imagining what he would tell her.

"Perhaps you should try to make friends with the others too," he would probably say, the glint in his dark eyes suggesting that he was refraining from blunter commentary.

It was good advice, even if it came from an imagined source. There was no reason why she couldn't interact with more people at the guild and try to make more friends. Shaking herself from her imagination, Juvia rejoined the conversation, trying to stay present with her friends.

"Relax, kiddo. It's fine," said Gray, absently ruffling Wendy's hair. "Deep breath," he coached.

Wendy nodded, closing her eyes. "I'm okay now," she said quietly, a look of focus crossing her face. "There's still an hour before we get started, but I should probably go get ready," she said. "Would one of you maybe come with me?" she asked, still looking a little awkward.

"Sure," Gray nodded, rising to follow her.

"I'm coming with," said Natsu, making to follow.

"I've got this one. Why don't you stay with the girls?" said Gray.

"Because I called it," said Natsu quickly.

"Uh, no, you didn't," said Gray.

"I'm coming with," insisted Natsu.

"Okay… Guess I'll stay here then," said Gray.

"Wait, what?" Natsu tensed, his shoulders squaring defensively.

"You go. I'll stay with the girls."

"No way!" yelped Natsu. "_You_ are not staying here."

"What's your deal?" asked Gray, frowning. "You don't want me to go, and you don't want me to stay? You've been acting really weird lately, man."

"Weird? Who's weird?" said Natsu quickly.

"_You_ are, Natsu," said Happy.

"Forget these hooligans, Wendy," Charle chimed in. "Let's just go without them."

"Why don't you both go?" said Lucy impatiently. "Just don't destroy anything."

"Great idea, Luce," said Natsu. "You're coming with me, Ice Pop."

Gray hesitated. "You girls going to be okay by yourselves?" he asked.

"Sure, why wouldn't we be?" said Lucy.

"I just feel kinda bad for asking you guys to tag along and then ditching, that's all," said Gray.

"It's cool," said Lucy. "You'll both be back once the competition starts, though. Right?"

"Only contestants are allowed backstage once we start," said Wendy. "I'll make sure I send them back in plenty of time."

"And I'll make sure they make it!" chirped Happy, giving a stiff salute.

"Juvia?" asked Gray. "Is that okay with you?"

Juvia met Gray's storm-colored eyes, her own widening in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to ask for her opinion. But he had, and without any prompting or begging from her. She felt a swell of pride at that, along with a sense of satisfaction that Gray thought her opinion mattered.

Juvia opened her mouth to ask him to stay. But the words that came out were quite a bit different.

"Go ahead," she said, flashing him a smile. "Lucy and I will be fine."

Juvia wasn't quite sure why she had done that.

She had been so excited to hang out with Gray. How many times had she imagined what it would be like to just go out and do something fun together? With Natsu and Lucy around, it was almost like a double-date! It should have been.

Except it wasn't. Hanging out was nothing like she had imagined.

"See you girls later," said Gray.

"Come on, hurry it up!" complained Natsu. He and Wendy were already waiting by the door to their box, their Exceeds in their arms.

"A sensible suggestion, for once!" huffed Charle.

Juvia watched as the rest of their guildmates disappeared into the busy stadium. There was a time when she would have insisted on tagging along or forced Gray to stay with them instead. She might have even sent Lucy with the others instead so that she and Gray would be alone.

But today… she hadn't feel that dizzying pull of anticipation when she locked eyes with Gray or that painful lurch of loss as he went to help Wendy. She was surprisingly okay with it.

Had something changed? Could she possibly…

No, that couldn't be right! She had known from the moment she met him. The moment she'd laid eyes on him. The moment he'd stopped the rain.

And that made Gray special. Nobody had ever done that before.

Gray was the _only_ one for her.

"Finally, some peace and quiet!" said Lucy. She stretched out, putting her feet up on the empty seat next to her. The boys' departure didn't seem to bother her in the slightest!

"I don't know how you do it," said Juvia quietly.

"What?" asked Lucy, blinking at her curiously. "Oh, you mean handle the boys? They're a handful, sure. Good thing I know how to keep them in check!" she said with a cheeky wink.

"I'm a little jealous, to be honest," admitted Juvia. Actually, she had always been a little jealous of Lucy and her outgoing nature. It was one of the reasons she had been so catty towards the other girl initially.

Lucy flushed at the sincerity of the compliment, waving her hands hastily. "It's not all _that_ amazing," she said. "You should see Erza! She's _terrifying_. She _really_ knows how to keep the guys in line. God help us when she decides to join in instead of putting her foot down," she added, with an exaggerated shudder.

Juvia giggled. "You guys are all so close."

"Of course. We're all friends. And we _are_ Fairy Tail's strongest team!" said Lucy, holding one finger up in the air.

"We've got an hour before the competition actually starts. I'm going to walk around," said Juvia. "I could go for something to eat. Do you want to come with?"

"Nah, I'm gonna stay here. I think they've got a couple of concession stands down in the plaza, if you're hungry," said Lucy.

"I might just do that," said Juvia. "Do you want me to bring you anything?" she asked. If she wanted to start making friends with the others, Lucy was a good place to start.

"No, thanks," said Lucy. "Gotta watch my figure, you know?" she added cheerfully.

"I don't think you've got anything to worry about," offered Juvia.

"That's so sweet of you!" said Lucy. "I'm good, but thanks anyways. Don't get lost, okay?"

"I won't," said Juvia. "And if I do, I'll just use my _Gray_-dar to find my way back. I always know where Gray is," she added seriously.

"Oh… okay," said Lucy. She smiled stiffly, like she didn't know quite how to respond.

Juvia giggled. "That was a joke," she said. "Probably not a great one, I'm guessing."

Lucy laughed awkwardly. "Oh, I get it…"

"It's okay, don't worry about it," said Juvia, shaking her head. "In all seriousness, though? You don't need to worry about me. My sense of direction isn't _too_ bad."

"Oh, it's not _that_," said Lucy. She dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm going to chew the guys out when they're late coming back. 'Cause you know they're gonna be. It's going to be _awesome_! But I can't do that if you're late too, you know? So, make sure you're back in time to watch the show."

"Understood. Be back soon!"

Juvia headed out into the busy amphitheater, heading for the plaza on the lower level. She could have sworn they had passed a food court on their way in. Pushing her way through the bustling crowds, Juvia found herself lost in her own thoughts.

Friends.

That word kept coming up over and over again.

It was a lovely idea. A comfortable one.

And even with her limited social life, Juvia found it hard to believe that she didn't have _any_ friends. Surely, there had to be somebody that she thought of in that way.

Obviously, Gajee was her friend.

Of course, they had been friends since their Phantom days. And lately, he had been spending more time with Levy and Team Shadowgear. That didn't change the fact that she and Gajee would always be the best of friends. It just meant that she couldn't rely on him all of the time. He had his own life to live.

There was always Gray. He was her friend. Wasn't he?

Juvia thought about the easy smiles and playful banter that he shared with Natsu, Lucy and Erza. He and Juvia weren't quite like that. And for as much as she thought she knew about Gray—that he always put his left shoe on first or the fact that he didn't like mayonnaise—those weren't the things that counted.

She didn't know the first thing about what Gray wanted in life, or what traits he respected most in others. She had no idea might things make him feel anxious or overwhelmed or proud or indifferent. But, in her defense, it wasn't like Gray was an open book. No, he was too private a person to be sharing that information freely. Sometimes Juvia got the impression that she didn't _really_ know Gray at all. Not the same way that his team did.

But Gray was friendly enough. And since Lyon had encouraged Juvia to be a little more independent, Gray had seemed more relaxed around her. They had started talking more in the guild, and he had even asked her to hang out today. Maybe in time, they _could_ become better friends. Then she could get to know him better. That would be nice.

And speaking of Lyon… well… They talked often and she always had fun when he was around. Lyon never failed to put a smile on her face. More than that, she didn't have to impress Lyon. It was like she could be herself around him. It didn't matter what she did. Lyon always made her feel comfortable in her own skin. She appreciated that about him.

"I suppose, Lyon's my friend," mused Juvia. It surprised her to realize that she might have been better friends with Lyon than she was with some of the others in her own guild. She could bring him her problems, her insecurities, and he'd listen with a patience that few would guess he possessed. Then he'd make things better. He'd make her _feel_ better about things.

And what did she offer in return? Juvia didn't have an answer. Lyon didn't seem to get anything out of their friendship. But he never wanted anything. 'No debt between friends,' is what he'd always say. Yet he'd always be there, unconditionally, to lend his suggestions and calm her when she needed it.

"But I guess, that's not very fair to him," observed Juvia with a guilty grimace. "Well, that has to change."

But that was something she could fix. And Juvia resolved to do so, at the very first opportunity.

And it was with that thought that she stumbled into somebody. The very person she had just been thinking about.

* * *

**What's Lyon's take on all this? Let's pass the baton for one last story.  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Blurred Lines_****: **_"Well, I never pictured you to be a pageant dad, Lyon," giggled Juvia._

**Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Maybe I Like the Rain

**Happy Friday! ****This is the last chapter of _Blurred Lines_! Read to the bottom to see we've got coming up next. :)**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Who would have thought that the junior's division of a magical talent competition would have attracted so many spectators?

Lyon pushed his way through the crowd, heading back to the ground level of the arena. He needed some air and some coffee. He had come to cheer for his protégé and he was trying to be supportive, but the womenfolk had him at his wits' end. If he heard Sherry say the word 'love' one more time, he'd jump off a balcony. Then he realized that their box seats _were_ essentially on a balcony. At that point, the safest thing was for him to leave their balcony box seats behind and take a little walk, before he did something he'd regret.

The jostle of the crowd sent a young woman stumbling toward him. He caught the lithe figure as she barreled into his chest, helping her to regain her balance.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I—"

"J-Juvia?!" Lyon staggered back in surprise, as he recognized her. He turned his head slightly, not daring to meet her eye.

On any other day he would have been pleased to have the pretty Water Mage in his arms. But today, he was just mortified. This was the absolute _last_ place he wanted to run into Juvia Lockser.

"Lyon? What are you doing here?" she asked excitedly, her cheeks pulling upwards into a grin.

"It's not just me. The rest of my team is here too," he said quickly.

"Are you here to watch the competition?" asked Juvia.

Lyon fought the urge to cringe from embarrassment. "That would be why I'm in this amphitheater, yes?" he asked dryly, his lips quirking with sardonic amusement.

"I'm guessing the Lamia Scale team has a VIP box too? Were you headed back to your seat?"

"I actually just came from there. I needed to stretch my legs before the competition."

"I was headed to get something to eat. Walk with me?" asked Juvia.

Lyon blinked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

But of course, Juvia wasn't asking him to spend time together. He knew better than to get his hopes up. No, she probably had something on her mind and running into him was just a happy coincidence.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," said Juvia quickly.

"Apologies, my mind's wandering. I think I _could_ use some coffee," he admitted. "I'd be honored if you'd let me accompany you."

Juvia giggled, her hand rising to cover her mouth. "So formal," she teased, her blue eyes sparkling.

"You like it," he said.

"Maybe," she admitted. "But you've taught me to like people for what they are, so I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Ah, I suppose not," said Lyon, following Juvia as they made their way toward the plaza. "I didn't realize you were into this sort of thing," he said. "Pageants and whatnot."

"This is my first time," said Juvia. "I'm just here to support Wendy. You'll have to be sure to check out her routine when it's her turn to go," said Juvia. "I've only seen it once, when she ran through it with Gray before we left."

"_Gray_?" said Lyon, mild disbelief in his voice. _He_ was here too? Of course, that would explain why Juvia had come.

"He and Natsu have been helping prep Wendy for this. Apparently for weeks."

"Now we _have_ to win, if only to rub it in that idiot's face," muttered Lyon.

"You're supporting someone too, Lyon?" asked Juvia.

Lyon nodded. "Chelia. She's Sherry's little cousin."

"Is she any good?" asked Juvia politely.

"Do you really have to ask? Our Chelia will eat your Wendy for breakfast," bragged Lyon, swelling with pride.

Juvia's gasped in mock horror, her mouth rounding into an offended 'o'. "She will _not_!" Juvia declared, fighting a grin. "Wendy is awesome!"

"I'm sure she is. Chelia is just _better_," said Lyon matter-of-factly. "And I would know. I trained her myself."

"Prove it!"

"And we will. When we win."

"That won't happen. _We're_ going to win." Juvia retaliated by giving Lyon a playful shove.

"Our Chelia's taken first place for the last two years," insisted Lyon. "I'm not sure why this would be any different."

Juvia laughed, her eyes crinkling in mirth.

"What's so funny?" asked Lyon.

"Well, I never pictured you to be a pageant dad, Lyon," giggled Juvia.

"I'm no such thing!" said Lyon, eyes rounding in horror.

"Juvia doesn't believe you," she sang out. "Why don't you just admit it?"

"I'll have you know that I leave the pageanting to the girls, thank you very much," huffed Lyon. "Sherry's the one who's been most worked up by it. Of course, when isn't she?" he added with a long-suffering sigh.

"Juvia thinks it's cute," said Juvia, slipping back into third-person to tease him.

"Oh, does she, now?" asked Lyon. "_Cute_?" he muttered, shaking his head.

Juvia nodded. "I think it's sweet that you dote on her."

"Well, if it pleases _you_, then that's all that matters," said Lyon sarcastically. But he couldn't help but ask. "Do you really think it's… cute?" he asked, wrinkling his nose in exaggerated disgust.

Juvia tipped her head, tugging on a loose curl thoughtfully. "I think you have nothing to be embarrassed about," she said.

"I'm hard on her, I realize, but Chelia shows a lot of promise," said Lyon. "Truthfully, I'm proud of her," he admitted quietly.

"She must be an impressive girl if you speak so highly of her. I can't wait to see her routine," said Juvia.

"You'll have to let me know what you think of it," said Lyon. "It's her fourth year competing, so she choreographed the whole thing herself this year. She put a lot of work into it."

"I'll be sure to call you tonight and we can talk about it," promised Juvia. "If that's okay?"

"That would be fine. You know you can call me whenever."

Juvia gave a distracted nod, smiling to herself. "This is nice," she said.

"The… venue?" asked Lyon curiously. He personally didn't think Onibus Amphitheater was anything special.

"No, this," said Juvia, waving vaguely. "I feel like we never get to hang out."

"We talk at least once a week," said Lyon.

"We talk about _business_ once a week," corrected Juvia.

"And by business, you mean Gray?" asked Lyon wryly.

"Something like that…" mumbled Juvia, fisting her skirt. She looked up suddenly. "You should come to Magnolia just for fun sometime," she said. "There's a new coffee house that just opened. I think you'll like it."

"It does sound tempting. I'll have you know I take my coffee very seriously."

"This place will impress even you, Mr. Coffee Snob. They roast their own beans and everything."

"Well, I look forward to it," chuckled Lyon. "Let me know when you'd want to meet up and I'll check my schedule."

Down in the plaza, the line for the concession stand snaked between roped stanchions.

"Hm. I don't know what I want..." said Juvia, craning to squint at the signboard with the prices printed on it.

"It's mostly stadium food here. Although they do have sandwiches if you're looking for actual food. The corndogs are an acquired taste. I'd skip the nachos, though," he warned.

"Really?"

"That's a poor decision that I regret to this very day," said Lyon, shuddering at the memory. "Chelia's been doing this for a few years now. I've pretty much tried all the concessions, not all of them good," admitted Lyon.

"What do you recommend, then?"

"Personally, I like the popcorn. They do an excellent job with it. The sham they sell at the movie theater pales in comparison."

"I never pictured you as the popcorn type. You always seem more… I don't know, sophisticated?"

"Ah, let's keep that between us. It's sort of a guilty pleasure," admitted Lyon.

"Next!" barked the man working the food stall. "What can I get for ya?"

"Can I have a bottle of water?" asked Juvia. "What about you?"

"I'll just have a coffee, cream only," said Lyon.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" asked Juvia.

"This is fine," said Lyon.

"Come on, Lyon. I'll buy."

"No," said Lyon, shaking his head. "I couldn't let you do that, Juvia."

"We can even get that popcorn you like."

"Juvia, I—"

"Great. We're sharing, then," she interrupted, as she was prone to. "One medium popcorn," said Juvia, slapping her money down on the counter.

"You really don't have to do that," said Lyon quickly.

"I'm just holding you to your recommendation," said Juvia. "_You're_ the one who said it was good. If it's not, then _you_ can help me finish it."

What kind of twisted logic was that?

"Put your money away," he ordered, pulling out his billfold.

"But—"

"Juvia," sighed Lyon. "Is it really so wrong for a man to want to treat you now and again?" he asked.

"To treat me…?" she repeated slowly, as if the words were a foreign concept.

Lyon didn't wait for an answer as he paid for their snacks. He handed Juvia her popcorn and her drink before he picked up his coffee cup. "Let's find some place to sit down," he suggested.

"How about over there?" asked Juvia.

She had spotted a bench that a family with twin girls had just vacated. They claimed it quickly, before someone else could.

She reached for some popcorn, nibbling at it shyly. "Is that really okay?" asked Juvia. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

Lyon almost spit out his coffee. Was she _still_ on about that?

"It's a bottle of water, not a four-carat diamond!" he exclaimed. "Surely, somebody's offered to buy you a drink before?"

Juvia shook her head, her face turned away. "Well…"

"Don't tell me," he said, his eyes narrowing. "_You_ always end up paying when you go out?"

"Gajee and I usually split the bill, but that's because we're usually out on a job. And Gray…"

"That _idiot_!" hissed Lyon, shoving a furious fistful of popcorn into his mouth.

"It's not his fault. I offered," said Juvia.

"And _he_ accepted!" thundered Lyon.

"I sort of pushed him into it."

"That's no excuse."

"Well, I said it was a thank you."

"Do you really think his time is _that_ much more valuable than yours that you have to _compensate_ him for it?"

"It's not like that. He'd done me a favor… a big one."

Lyon sighed. "Don't give him an out. _Please_."

"I ran into my ex. Gray sort of came to my rescue. He didn't have to step in, but he did. It was nice of him, so I offered to take him to lunch, and he offered to pick up the tab the next time we went out," said Juvia.

"And? Did he?" pressed Lyon. He might be able to accept Juvia's explanation if Gray was truly starting to take initiative.

"We haven't actually gone anywhere since," admitted Juvia. "But we've hung out in the guild a few times. A lot more often than we used to, actually."

Lyon pushed away his annoyance, trying to be pleased for Juvia's sake, but not before making a mental note to teach Gray some manners. "So, I take it things are going well?" asked Lyon, trying to steer the conversation into safer waters.

"Yes!" said Juvia, smiling. "Well, sort of," she said, backtracking.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Lyon gently.

Juvia looked hesitant, her delicate brows scrunching in conflict. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"When have I ever?" asked Lyon, letting the salt from the popcorn drown away the bitterness he felt.

Just friends. That was what he promised himself. And if he couldn't keep his end of that bargain, he'd stop this, once and for all.

"Ever since the dance, something's been different," admitted Juvia. "Gray and I spend a lot more time together than we used to."

"Then what's the problem?" The popcorn was too dry. He choked it down with some coffee.

"I don't… I don't get as excited about it. This should be everything I ever wanted, but it's not."

"Go on." Lyon took another sip. He couldn't quite wash away the unpleasant feeling of having something caught in his throat.

"It's almost like I spent so much time thinking about what it would be like to be with Gray that now that it's finally happening, and I don't have to fight for his attention it's just… it's not the same," sighed Juvia. She munched absently, a frown on her face. "It's like I've won, so I should be happy. But I don't _feel_ like I've won. I know I don't really have him, not yet. And I need to keep working to win his heart, but… I don't know. Am I crazy?"

"Are you having second thoughts?" asked Lyon. He fought to keep his voice neutral. As much as he would have loved to sway her opinion, it wouldn't be fair to influence her.

"No! Absolutely not. Gray is the only one for me," insisted Juvia frantically. "I'm just… a little bit confused right now. I'm not… I'm not… Juvia's not…" Juvia shook her head.

Thunder rolled in the distance.

Juvia cringed, her distress evident.

"…Juvia? Say something." Lyon's brows were pulled together in a worried frown.

"It's raining," she blurted out.

"…What?" He blinked in surprise.

"It's raining," she repeated woefully.

"So it is," agreed Lyon, as the first drops of rain hit his skin.

"You don't understand. Juvia has always brought the rain, ever since she was a girl. And Juvia still brings gloom, everywhere she goes," she choked.

"I didn't realize you had the monopoly on weather phenomena," said Lyon lightly, arching an amused eyebrow.

"Well, it isn't like Juvia wants to!" Juvia blurted defensively. She looked like she was ready to cry. "Juvia can't control it."

"I know that," he said, his voice soft. He slipped his arm around her slim shoulders, hoping to comfort her. "I wasn't making fun of you, I promise. Just the idea that you'd blame yourself for something that clearly isn't your fault. Besides, this isn't even _your_ rain."

Juvia blinked at him, her head tipping to the side. "How did you know it wasn't Juvia's? Most people can't tell. Once they know that it rains when Juvia gets upset, they assume it's always Juvia's fault."

"It… doesn't _feel_ like you, if that makes sense," said Lyon thoughtfully.

"Not really," she said.

"How do I put this? You're passionate and whole-hearted about everything you do. This rain's just _there_. It's barely there, if at all."

Juvia breathed a shaky laugh, her expression caught between a smile and a frown.

"If you really wanted to make it rain, I'd imagine you'd do a better job than this," said Lyon seriously. "You can make it rain better than this, can't you?"

"Well, yes… but…"

"Well, there you have it. Someday, I hope you'll share this special talent of yours with me," said Lyon. "I'd like to see it. I'm sure it's spectacular."

Juvia's lips pulled into a weak smile, brushing her dampened curls out of her face.

"It doesn't seem to bother you," observed Juvia, wiping at the water on her forehead with the back of her hand. "Why?"

"Hm?" asked Lyon. "Why what?"

"The rain," she clarified. "Why doesn't it bother you?"

"Maybe I like the rain," said Lyon, shrugging.

Juvia blinked. "You _like_ the rain?" she asked softly, her forehead scrunching. "But it's gloomy," protested Juvia.

"I disagree. I find it soothing," he said honestly. "There's something about rain that makes things fresh and new again."

"Really?" she asked skeptically.

"Why do you find it so hard to believe?" asked Lyon.

The rain had picked up, fat drops darkening the concrete.

"No one's ever said that before," said Juvia.

"As far as I'm concerned, the rain can stay, just as it is," said Lyon firmly. "Unless you want me to turn it into snow?" he asked, his lips quirking in amusement.

"Snow? This time of year?"

"I'll do it if you want me to."

Juvia couldn't help but giggle at the idea. "Stop that!" she said, swatting Lyon in the shoulder. "What's everyone else going to think?"

"Maybe I don't care what they think."

"Yes, you do! Whatever happened to image and expectations?" challenged Juvia.

"There are things that are more important than my reputation," said Lyon, surprised to hear himself say it. To think that it was Juvie, of all people, who could persuade him to admit to vulnerability. Unbelievable! Of course, perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised.

"You always know how to make me feel better," said Juvia, smiling softly.

What Lyon wouldn't give for her to look at him with those eyes forever.

"I'm glad to hear it," said Lyon, though he wished there was more he could do. If it were up to him, he'd do whatever it took to keep his Juvie from getting upset like this again.

Ah, but she wasn't _his_ Juvie, was she? She wasn't his anything. His removed the arm that he still had draped around her shoulders.

"It's really starting to come down now," said Juvia. "I should have brought my umbrella. I used to carry one all the time, but… well, I don't anymore."

"Most normal people don't."

"With my luck with the weather…" shrugged Juvia.

"Why don't I just make us one?" suggested Lyon.

"You can do that?" asked Juvia.

"I'm an Ice-Make Wizard," said Lyon dryly. "That implies that I make things out of ice."

"But I thought you only did animals."

"I do prefer dynamic ice, yes, but that doesn't mean I can't manage a simple umbrella. Though, to be reduced to creating household items…" sighed Lyon dramatically.

"I'm sure Gray could make an umbrella," pouted Juvia.

Lyon bristled. "Juvia, I will make you the very best umbrella you've ever seen," he promised. "That idiot, Gray, has nothing on my umbrella-making skills."

"Are you sure you're up to the challenge?" asked Juvia seriously. "I have very high standards when it comes to rain gear. You could even say I'm something of a connoisseur. I'll have you know, I own at least a dozen different umbrellas."

Lyon shook the water from his soggy hair, focusing on drawing his powers. He pressed his fist to his palm, channeling his magic into delicate blossoms that swirled across a thin canopy and twined down the smooth handle of an ice umbrella.

Juvia gasped in delight before composing her features.

"Well?" he asked, holding the umbrella out over her head to shield her. "Have I exceeded your expectations?"

"I approve," said Juvia, sliding next to him so they could share the umbrella's shelter.

"I'm glad to have impressed you," said Lyon.

"I didn't say I was _impressed_," countered Juvia. "You still have a long way to go before you reach that level."

"Juvia!" protested Lyon, his hand flying to his chest dramatically. "That hurts, right here."

"You mean in your ego?" she teased.

"Yes! I'm not ashamed to admit that I have an ego."

"It shows, even if you didn't admit to it."

"Ouch."

Juvia laughed, pulling Lyon closer under the umbrella. "I make you work harder," she bragged. "Just like you make me want to work harder," she added softly.

"Fair enough," said Lyon. "Were you joking about having that many umbrellas?" he asked.

"Actually, no," said Juvia. "Most of them are from Gajee. He's not good at gifts, so for birthdays, Christmas, whatever… it _always_ ends up being another umbrella and I pretend to be surprised every time."

Lyon chuckled. "You don't seem too upset by that."

"I'd be more upset if he stopped. It's sort of a tradition at this point," said Juvia.

"Well, now I know not to get you an umbrella, since you have no shortage of them."

"No, but I wouldn't say no to cute galoshes."

"I'll keep that in mind. Are you ready to go back?" he asked.

"Not really," she said. "But I suppose we should. The competition should be starting soon, shouldn't it?"

Lyon nodded. "Probably."

He and Juvia made their way back up the stairs. Most of the other spectators had taken shelter once the rain had started up, so there weren't too many people around. It was one of the disadvantages of an open-air stadium; there wasn't much place to take shelter from the inclement weather. At least their box seats were covered, so it shouldn't be too bad, even if they'd get a little wet on their way there.

"We're over this way," said Juvia, pointing down the opposite end of the hall.

"I'm just over here," said Lyon.

"Already?" sighed Juvia. She sounded almost reluctant. "Do you want to come say hi to Gray?"

"Not today," said Lyon. "When Lamia Scale wins, we're going to do it fair and square. If I see him today, he'll complain about me 'throwing his game' or some nonsense like that even though he's not the one competing. I won't give him the satisfaction. Otherwise, I'd offer to escort you back. But no, given the circumstances, I think we should part ways here."

"Okay," said Juvia. "Well, it was great seeing you! I'm so glad we ran into each other," she said, turning to run in the pelting rain.

"Juvia, wait," said Lyon.

She turned to look at him curiously.

"Take it with you," he said, pressing the icy handle of the umbrella into her delicate fingers. "I don't want you getting wet."

"I can't," said Juvia, shaking her head. "But then _you'll_ get wet."

"A little water never hurt anybody."

"I couldn't!" insisted Juvia. "Besides, I'm made of water anyways, it doesn't matter if I get a little wet."

"I'll be highly offended if you don't accept," he said, making a show of scowling. "Do you think Gray makes better umbrellas than I do?"

"Of course not!" laughed Juvia.

"Take it," he said again. "I can always make another if I need it."

"Thank you. I'll make sure to return it when I'm finished," said Juvia.

"Never mind that. Leave it anywhere. It'll melt before too long," Lyon said, shrugging.

Juvia nodded, giving him one final smile before heading back towards Fairy Tail's section of the amphitheater.

"Best of luck to your Wendy!" called Lyon. "Even though Chelia _is_ the superior wizard," he added.

Juvia grinned over her shoulder. "We're taking you down!" she laughed, determination flashing in her expressive eyes.

"I'd like to see you try."

She just laughed at that, raising a hand to wave goodbye.

Icy rain trickled down Lyon forehead, leaving limp hair plastered to the side of his face. A grin spread across Lyon's features as he watched Juvia's retreating figure, his umbrella clutched in her hand.

"Lyon! What are you standing out there for?" called Toby. Toby had probably noticed him dawdling.

"I'm coming," he said. "Just give me a minute."

"Don't you know it's raining?" said Toby, pointing out the obvious.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed..." he quipped absently. He waited until Juvia was out of sight before turning to take shelter in the Lamia Scale box, where the rest of his team was waiting.

"You're soaked," scolded Sherry, going into mother-hen mode the moment he stepped back inside.

So he was. "It's fine."

"You're going to catch a cold that way."

"Stop fussing, Sherry."

"You're looking awfully pleased, Lyon," said Chelia.

"Why wouldn't I be pleased?" asked Lyon. "You're going to beat out that Sky-Dragon girl from Fairy Tail. I get to rub it in Gray's face the next time I see him. What are you doing out here anyways?" he asked suddenly. "Aren't you supposed to be backstage? You start any minute now, don't you?"

"We should have started ten minutes ago," she corrected. "You're late. But the competition's been delayed on account of rain. Hopefully it clears up in an hour or so. I'm hanging out here until then."

"Who was that you were talking to?" asked Toby.

"Nobody," said Lyon quickly, shooting Toby a glare.

"That didn't seem like a nobody to me," said Toby.

Lyon bit back a groan. Toby was the densest person alive.

"Then who did it seem like?" asked Yuka.

"I don't know. Some girl," said Toby.

Lyon sighed. Here we go.

"Lyon!" gasped Chelia. "It was _her_, wasn't it? The mysterious Juvia!"

"Would you leave it alone, please?"

"I don't see what's wrong with it," said Toby.

"You wouldn't," said Yuka.

"I think it's _love_," suggested Chelia.

"I think it's unhealthy," snorted Sherry.

"Since when?" demanded Lyon, frowning. Sherry was always going on and on about love. Lyon had thought she'd be all over this.

"Since I figured out how you two _really_ work," Sherry retorted, her hands on her hips.

"And what does that mean?" asked Lyon, scowling.

"You know _exactly_ what it means."

"I agree with Sherry. I think it's a bad idea," said Yuka.

"You think everything's a bad idea," said Chelia.

"Forgive me for being cautious," shot Yuka.

Lyon sighed. "Have you all finished passing judgement?" he asked darkly.

But maybe Sherry and Yuka were right. Maybe this was a foolish endeavor. A 'bad idea' as they deemed it. Deep inside, Lyon knew that this was the sort of fruitless battle that would only end in pain. He wasn't sure how much more disappointment he could take.

But that wasn't the only problem.

He remembered the feeling of his hand on her shoulder, tugging her against him. He was dangerously close to falling for her again. But he couldn't allow that to happen. It wouldn't be fair to either of them. He had thought he had a tight enough rein on his own emotions that he'd be able to handle a simple friendship with Juvia. But perhaps he had overestimated himself.

His inner pragmatist arrived at a painful realization, one that made his heart feel like it was getting torn from his chest. If their relationship went much further in that direction, and he couldn't keep things platonic, then he'd have to end it, for both their sakes.

* * *

**And that's the end! **I hope you liked it. If you did, please consider leaving me some love with a comment or by favoriting this fic.****

**Want to hear some ironic trivia? I used to not ship Juvia with anybody. I was pretty indifferent as to who she ended up with, because I just really wasn't feeling it. At one point, I read a Lyvia one-shot by** **Mrs. HopeEstheim, who is a Gruvia writer/shipper. ****In some ways, my interpretation of Lyon and Juvia is inspired by her portrayal of them in a Challenge Fic that she wrote. (I think this might have been the only Lyvia story she's posted.) ****After reading her story, Lyvia started making a lot of sense to me, and even though it would never happen in canon, the concept has potential. After playing with the idea in Mazeverse for a couple of years, it's grown to be one of my favorite ships to write. (I'm far less unbiased than I thought... I'm trying to decide if the Lyvia thing is a phase or if it's actually a thing for me.) What's deliciously ironic is that I ship Lyvia because a Gruvia shipper inspired me to do so. How crazy is that? :) It's one of the reasons I'm all about writing different (and often uncommon) ships. It would be greatest honor to inspire someone else to find a new favorite ship. Or even to get a die-hard shipper to say: _For half a second, you had me believing that this other thing might be possible under certain specific conditions, asterisks, asterisks, caveat, etc._**

**Next week, the rain continues. But this time, with Angst, (capital-A mandatory). XD ****You get a two for the price of one (it's two short stories). Two ships, sinking slowly. Guess who? (Hint: both are loose ends that I need to tie off from the last few stories. We need some closure.) :)  
**

**Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_Someday in the Rain_****, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


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